The IDF on Monday condemned an officer filmed striking a pro-
Palestinian activist, but stated that the incident should not be
taken out of context to misrepresent the values of the Israeli army.

According to a video, posted on YouTube by the International
Solidarity Movement, Lt.-Col. Shalom Eisner, deputy commander of the
Jordan Valley Brigade is seen taking his M-16 and slamming it in the
face of a blond-haired activist. The demonstrator, a Danish national,
falls to the ground and is carried away by fellow activists.

The protester, named as Andreas Ias, was treated in a Palestinian
hospital for light injuries and told Israeli media on Monday that he
was well.

"We were just walking slowly towards the soldiers, we were chanting
Palestinian songs calling for the liberation of Palestine. I don´t
believe that is a provocation," he told Israel´s Channel 10
television.

Speaking to Israel Radio, IDF Spokesman Brig.- Gen. Yoav Mordechai
said that "these are harsh pictures, but I still can´t divorce the
filmed episodes from the incident that lasted over an hour and which
included violence by the anarchists and Palestinians." At one point
there were over 200 demonstrators, he said, indicating that the video
was being taken out of context.

Nevertheless, Mordechai called the event "grave" and said it could
not be taken as a representation of the values of the IDF.

The IDF´s OC Central Command Maj.-Gen. Nitzan Alon ordered the
opening of an investigation into the incident. Upon receiving the
preliminary results of the investigation Sunday night, Alon suspended
Eisner until the completion of the probe.

In addition, the Military Advocate-General´s office decided to open a
criminal investigation into the incident, which IDF Chief of General
Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz said Sunday evening was not representative
of the IDF´s ethics and morals and would be fully investigated and
treated with the utmost gravity.

Yesha Council chairman Danny Dayan on Monday condemned what he termed
an "overwhelming hysteria" in Israel over the incident. Speaking to
Israel Radio, Dayan said that the officer who struck the activist
should not have been judged by a 7-second video from an incident that
lasted two hours. Moreover, the fact that the IDF had already
condemned the officer just hours after the incident displays a loss
of control on the part of the IDF and an irresponsible course of
action taken by Israeli political leaders.

Dayan called the pro-Palestinian activist an enemy of Israel and
implied that the Jewish state is more concerned with its image abroad
than protecting its soldiers.

Dayan also condemned the Israeli political and military establishment
for its "hysteria" over the incident, saying there was no reason for
the prime minister, the defense minister, and other high-ranking
political authorities to be involved.

Such violence by a senior officer is rare in the West Bank and
soldiers serving in the West Bank are generally trained to show
restraint during demonstrations or civil disturbances.

According to the Palestinians, the incident took place on Saturday
during a cycling tour around the Jordan Valley by European, Israeli
and Palestinian activists.